AQAGCSE105 resourcesFoundation & Higher

AQA GCSE French Past Papers & Mark Schemes

Download free AQA GCSE French (8652) past papers and mark schemes. Listening, speaking, reading, writing. Foundation & Higher. 105 resources from 2018 to 2024.

📅June 2018 – June 2024📄105 resources available✅Free to download

Papers Overview Paper Structure Key Info Key Topics Command Words Grade Boundaries Revision Tips Try AI Tutor ✦

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Tier

Year

105 of 105 resources — page 1 of 5

June 2023

7 files

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GCSE French – Question paper (Modified A4 18pt) (Higher) : Paper 3 Reading – June 2023

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GCSE French – Transcript (Higher) : Paper 1 Listening – June 2023

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GCSE French – Question paper (Modified A4 18pt) (Higher) : Paper 4 Writing – June 2023

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GCSE French – Question paper (Modified A4 18pt) (Foundation) : Paper 4 Writing – June 2023

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GCSE French – Sound file: tracked: Paper 1 Listening – June 2023

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GCSE French – Question paper (Modified A4 18pt) (Higher) : Paper 1 Listening – June 2023

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📜

GCSE French – Transcript (Foundation) : Paper 1 Listening – June 2023

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June 2022

6 files

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GCSE French – Question paper (Modified A4 18pt) (Higher) : Paper 4 Writing – June 2022

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GCSE French – Question paper (Modified A4 18pt) (Foundation) : Paper 4 Writing – June 2022

Question PaperFoundation

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🔊

GCSE French – Sound file: tracked: Paper 1 Listening – June 2022

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GCSE French – Teacher booklet (Foundation; Higher) : Paper 2 Speaking – June 2022

Question Paper

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GCSE French – Question paper (Modified A4 18pt) (Higher) : Paper 1 Listening – June 2022

Question PaperHigher

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📜

GCSE French – Transcript (Foundation) : Paper 1 Listening – June 2022

Transcript

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November 2021

6 files

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GCSE French – Question paper (Modified A4 18pt) (Higher) : Paper 3 Reading – November 2021

Question PaperHigher

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📜

GCSE French – Transcript (Higher) : Paper 1 Listening – November 2021

Transcript

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GCSE French – Question paper (Modified A4 18pt) (Foundation) : Paper 3 Reading – November 2021

Question PaperFoundation

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GCSE French – Question paper (Modified A4 18pt) (Higher) : Paper 4 Writing – November 2021

Question PaperHigher

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🔊

GCSE French – Sound file: tracked: Paper 1 Listening – November 2021

Audio File

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📄

GCSE French – Question paper (Modified A4 18pt) (Foundation) : Paper 4 Writing – November 2021

Question PaperFoundation

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November 2020

6 files

📄

GCSE French – Question paper (Modified A4 18pt) (Higher) : Paper 3 Reading – November 2020

Question PaperHigher

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📜

GCSE French – Transcript (Higher) : Paper 1 Listening – November 2020

Transcript

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📄

GCSE French – Question paper (Modified A4 18pt) (Foundation) : Paper 3 Reading – November 2020

Question PaperFoundation

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📄

GCSE French – Question paper (Modified A4 18pt) (Higher) : Paper 4 Writing – November 2020

Question PaperHigher

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📄

GCSE French – Question paper (Modified A4 18pt) (Foundation) : Paper 4 Writing – November 2020

Question PaperFoundation

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GCSE French – Question paper (Modified A4 18pt) (Higher) : Paper 1 Listening – November 2020

Question PaperHigher

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About AQA GCSE French

AQA GCSE French (specification code 8652) is assessed across four skills — Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing — each representing 25% of the total grade. The qualification is available at Foundation (grades 1–5) and Higher (grades 4–9) tier, and students sit the same tier across all four components. Paper 1 (Listening) lasts between 35 and 45 minutes depending on tier and includes a 5-minute reading period. It assesses comprehension of spoken French across a range of contexts, registers, and speakers. Questions include multiple choice, gap-fill, matching, and short answers in English or French. Higher tier includes longer and more complex texts. Paper 2 (Speaking) is conducted by the student's own teacher and comprises two elements: a role play and a photo card discussion, followed by a general conversation. Photo cards show images related to the AQA themes (identity and culture, local/national/global areas, current and future study/employment). The general conversation covers themes that the student has prepared in advance. Paper 3 (Reading) lasts between 45 minutes and 1 hour depending on tier. It includes comprehension questions, translation from French to English, and matching tasks. Higher tier includes a full passage translation task. Paper 4 (Writing) lasts between 1 hour 15 minutes and 1 hour 20 minutes. Foundation students answer a structured writing task, a 90-word piece, and a 150-word translation from English to French. Higher students write a 150-word extended piece, a 200-word piece from two options, and a translation task. The translation from English to French is widely considered the most demanding writing task.

Exam Paper Structure

Paper 1No calculator

Listening

⏱ 35 min (Foundation) / 45 min (Higher)🎯 50 marks📊 25% of grade

Listening comprehension of spoken French5-minute reading period before audio beginsMultiple-choice, gap-fill and short-answer questions

Paper 2No calculator

Speaking

⏱ Approximately 12 minutes🎯 60 marks📊 25% of grade

Role playPhoto card discussionGeneral conversation on AQA themes

Paper 3No calculator

Reading

⏱ 45 min (Foundation) / 60 min (Higher)🎯 60 marks📊 25% of grade

Reading comprehension of French textsTranslation from French to English

Paper 4No calculator

Writing

⏱ 75 min (Foundation) / 80 min (Higher)🎯 60 marks📊 25% of grade

Structured writing tasksExtended writing (90–200 words)Translation from English to French

Key Information

Exam Board	AQA
Specification Code	8652
Qualification	GCSE
Grading Scale	9–1
Assessment Type	4 components: Listening (25%), Speaking (25%), Reading (25%), Writing (25%)
Tiers	Foundation (grades 1–5) and Higher (grades 4–9)
Number Of Papers	4
Exam Duration	Listening: 35–45 min. Speaking: ~12 min. Reading: 45–60 min. Writing: 75–80 min
Available Sessions	June 2018 – June 2024
Total Resources	105

Key Topics in French

Topics you need to know

Listening comprehension of authentic FrenchSpeaking: role play, photo card, general conversationReading comprehension and vocabularyTranslation French–English and English–FrenchIdentity and culture (family, relationships, social media)Local and global areas (town, environment, global issues)Education and employment (school, future plans, jobs)

Exam Command Words

Command word	What the examiner expects
Answer in English	Write your response in English, not French
Translate into English	Render the French text accurately in natural English
Translate into French	Render the English text in accurate French with correct accents and grammar
Write approximately [X] words	Aim for the stated word count in your French writing task
Choose ONE title	Select one of the two extended writing options provided
Write the letter	Indicate your listening multiple-choice answer by writing only the letter

Typical Grade Boundaries

Grade	Approximate mark needed
Grade 9	82–92%
Grade 8	71–81%
Grade 7	60–70%
Grade 6	50–59%
Grade 5	40–49%
Grade 4	30–39%

⚠️ Typical Higher tier boundaries across four components. Actual boundaries vary — check AQA's website.

How to Use AQA GCSE French Past Papers Effectively

GCSE French past papers test all four skills, each in a different way. Use past Listening papers with the audio files — AQA makes the audio available for free. When practising listening, play each section once and attempt the question, then check your answer before playing again. Listening twice during revision is fine, but the exam only allows each section to be played once, so build your ability to capture information on a single hearing. For Reading, the most challenging questions are often the ones that test inference rather than direct comprehension — where the answer isn't a word or phrase you can directly lift from the text. Practise identifying words that might trick you: near-cognates (words that look similar to English but mean something different) are a common source of errors. The Writing translation task is the most reliably mark-differentiating element of the written papers. Many students lose marks through: missing accents on French words (un lycée vs un lycee), incorrect agreement of adjectives, and wrong verb tense. Practise one translation a day in the final weeks before your exam, and check each sentence word by word against a model answer. For Speaking, record yourself doing mock photo card discussions and role plays. Listening back to yourself reveals hesitation patterns and vocabulary gaps that you don't notice in the moment. Aim to speak for at least 45 seconds on each photo card question without long pauses.

More AQA GCSE Subjects

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AQA GCSE French Past Papers & Mark Schemes

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June 2023

June 2022

November 2021

November 2020

About AQA GCSE French

Exam Paper Structure

Key Information

Key Topics in French

Exam Command Words

Typical Grade Boundaries

How to Use AQA GCSE French Past Papers Effectively

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